Oeckinghaus, Margarete

Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year. I will be working with the 7th and 8th graders this year. Since we all know each other and have spent at least one school year together I anticipate a fast starting, exciting year. I have included the classroom expectations and info about getting onto this website for your review.

I am always available within my obligations as a teacher. Please email rather than calling. It is difficult to hold a phone call during class time and telephone tag has never been my favorite game. I can be far more efficient using email. Drop in visits are fine, just keep in mind the students are my priority during the school day and I may already have scheduled obligations before and after school and you may have to wait to see me.

I am looking forward to another wonderful year with our kids!

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS2016-2017Ms. Oeckinghaus 7th, 8th Grades

This year we will only be the 7th and 8th graders. This means we will have a small class which is very exciting for me! We should be able to do more and have more fun doing it.

The Language Arts curriculum will be focusing on expository writing. Students will need to be able to make a major point and defend it with valid data. We will continue doing weekly Expository Writing and Writing Panics. The objective will be to conduct research and produce a document that summarizes data, draws conclusions and supports them with facts. Students will be expected to cite sources and produce bibliographies for their work. The two major research projects will be the National History Day Presentation (this year’s theme is Taking a Stand in History) and the Science Fair project.

In Social Studies the focus will be on Ancient Civilization. We will be covering early man, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Kush, Hebrews, Greeks, India and China, and Rome.

In Science the major topics will be an introduction to Classification of Living Things, Genetics and Ecosystems, Earth Resources, Weather and Climate, Astronomy, Matter, Chemistry and Energy.

Those are the plans – like all plans they are subject to unexpected and surprise changes.

SUPPLIES

These are the items that will make classwork easier. I have communal supplies but over the years they have been destroyed, used up and lost so students don’t have the options they would like. The underlined items are an absolute necessity.

• 4 Composition (not spiral bound) notebooks, colors and designs are student choice. • Thumb Drive • Pencils• Small box of colored pencils• A basic function calculator• Pair of scissors• A package of glue sticks• A box of Kleenex• A pair of tennis shoes with scuff proof soles to be left at school• A way to organize work (a binder with dividers, a folder for each topic, an accordion file – whatever works)

GRADING

Graded assignments will have point values assigned to them. A student’s grade will be the percentage of points earned to points possible.

90 – 100 A80 – 89 B70 – 79 C60 – 69 D0 – 59 F

LATE WORKWork is assigned to help students master a concept or skill. Those concepts or skills will be the foundation for the next lessons. Therefore, I will only accept late work within a reasonable time period. Students lose an automatic 10% for each school day it is late. Assignments turned in more than 10 days late will receive no credit. Students will fill out an assignment sheet every day in class. Watch for it to come home.

I have been lenient with the late work policy in the past. Unfortunately, students have learned to still get full credit for late work and be able to turn work in during the entire quarter. I’m going to be tough this year. This means students may find themselves with lower grades than expected. The goal is to get them to complete work in a more efficient, timely manner.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

The CHAMPS guidelines are used for day-to-day work. I will be using a behavior journal plan in addition to the step plan. With the journal students will fill out a summary of the questionable behavior. They will identify what class protocol was ‘challenged’, explain what happened, how they feel and why and how they plan to avoid similar situations and if teacher help is needed. I will be keeping them in a file as a way to identify patterns and to help students really see what they are doing. When intervention is called for the step plan is used. First problem is a quick conference with me; the second is a little more serious conference with me and notifying parents. The third incident results in parent notification and a small loss of privileges. The fourth instance results in a more serious consequence for the student and a fifth will be intervention by Administration. Serious infractions will be handled immediately by Administration.

COMMUNICATIONS

The most efficient way to contact me is by e-mail. I will respond to e-mails within 24 hours, usually less. The phone is a challenge since I don’t want to hold a conversation with students in the classroom and telephone tag has never been a favorite game of mine. My address is:

margarete.oeckinghaus@k12northstar.orgThe school phone number is 488-6616.

All student work will be graded and input into the power school by every Friday at the latest so those records will give you a very current picture of how our student is doing. I will also send out a quick notification every two weeks on what is planned for the next two weeks. I will send e-mails as well as hard copies.

I am using my teacher web page. I will do my best to post homework daily. I will also keep pages on the big projects with the big deadline as well as deadlines for smaller portions of the project. All the expectations will be given. I will provide links to examples and other aids to complete the projects.

And finally – parents are always welcome in the classroom!

TEACHER WEBSITE

The district set up websites for teachers last year and I used it to post daily homework. I will continue to do so as well as adding sections for long-term projects and other information.

Getting to the website is fairly straightforward.

• Get onto the Two Rivers website. o https://www.k12northstar.org/tworiverso Sign onto the district site• Choose Our District• Choose School Directory• Choose Two Rivers• Click on the web address• Choose Teachers• Choose Oeckinghaus• You will see a lovely photo of me pre-weight loss with my e-mail address• On the left side will be a directory of pages.o Click on the page you want to see

Currently there are only two pages, welcome and daily homework. Under daily homework I will list each day’s assignments with directions. It’s an easy way to check for homework when our students claim not to have any. I will be adding more.

Last Modified on May 14, 2018

Two Rivers K-8

400 Two Rivers Road|Two Rivers, AK 99716

PHONE: (907) 488-6616FAX: (907) 488-8487

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The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is an equal employment and educational opportunity institution, as well as a tobacco and nicotine-free learning and work environment.